Products and processes for analyzing octane content

Abstract

Products and processes are provided herewith for analyzing octane content in a fuel sample that include the step or steps of receiving an octane measurement of a fuel sample from a octane analyzer, rounding the octane measurement to a nearest recognized octane rating, comparing the rounded octane measurement with a listed octane rating for the fuel sample, and communicating results of the comparison to a user of the octane analyzer. The octane analyzer may be incorporated into a fuel pump or a vehicle. The results of the comparison may also be used to adjust the vehicle operating parameters to account for the actual octane rating of the fuel dispensed into the vehicle.

1. A method comprising:
 measuring, via an octane analyzer that is integrated into a fuel pump, an octane measurement of a fuel sample while a stream of fuel is being dispensed from the fuel pump into a vehicle,
 wherein the fuel pump comprises a nozzle and a collar that is disposed over the nozzle, 
 wherein the collar comprising at least one infrared (IR) emitter and at least one IR receiver disposed circumferentially about the collar, in which the at least one IR emitter transmits the octane measurement to the at least one IR receiver; 
 
 rounding, via the octane analyzer, the octane measurement to a nearest recognized octane rating; 
 comparing, via the octane analyzer, the rounded octane measurement with a listed octane rating for the fuel sample; and 
 determining, via the octane analyzer, that the rounded octane measurement fails to match the listed octane rating for the fuel sample; 
 communicating, via the octane analyzer to a user, an indication of an error in the listed octane rating for the fuel sample; 
 computing, via the octane analyzer, a compensation for the user, based in part on the error; and 
 reducing a price of fuel with the compensation. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , in which the act of communicating the indication of the error further comprises:
 displaying a pass, fail, or exceed message to the user. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 adjusting a vehicle ignition timing based on the octane measurement. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  in which the act of computing
 the compensation comprises: 
 determining a difference between a first cost of the fuel with the listed octane rating and a second cost of the fuel with the rounded octane measurement. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  further comprises:
 re-measuring the octane measurement of the fuel sample, in response to the determination that the rounded octane measurement fails to match the listed octane rating for the fuel sample. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , in which the act of re-measuring the octane measurement is performed by a second octane analyzer that is different from the octane analyzer. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , in which the fuel pump comprises an identifier that is unique to the fuel pump. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 prior to measuring the octane measurement, determining that an identifier of the fuel pump is valid. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , in which the octane analyzer is capable of encrypting the octane measurement. 
     
     
       10. A method comprising:
 measuring, via an octane analyzer that is integrated into a vehicle, an octane measurement of a fuel sample while a stream of fuel is being dispensed from a fuel pump into the vehicle,
 wherein the vehicle comprises a fuel line that is connected to a tank and a collar that is disposed over the fuel line, 
 wherein the collar comprising at least one infrared (IR) emitter and at least one IR receiver disposed circumferentially about the collar, in which the at least one IR emitter transmits the octane measurement to the at least one IR receiver; 
 
 rounding, via the octane analyzer, the octane measurement to a nearest recognized octane rating; 
 comparing, via the octane analyzer, the rounded octane measurement with a listed octane rating for the fuel sample; 
 determining, via the octane analyzer, that the rounded octane measurement fails to match the listed octane rating for the fuel sample; 
 communicating, via the octane analyzer to a user, an indication of an error in the listed octane rating for the fuel sample; 
 computing, via the octane analyzer, a compensation for the user, based in part on the error; and 
 reducing a price of fuel with the compensation. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , in which the act of communicating the indication of the error further comprises:
 displaying a pass, fail, or exceed message to the user. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 adjusting a vehicle ignition timing based on the octane measurement. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , in which the act of computing the compensation comprises:
 determining a difference between a first cost of the fuel with the listed octane rating and a second cost of the fuel with the rounded octane measurement. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10  further comprises:
 re-measuring the octane measurement of the fuel sample, in response to the determination that the rounded octane measurement fails to match the listed octane rating for the fuel sample. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , in which the act of re-measuring the octane measurement is performed by a second octane analyzer that is different from the octane analyzer. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 10 , in which the fuel pump comprises an identifier that is unique to the fuel pump. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 prior to measuring the octane measurement, determining that an identifier of the fuel pump is valid. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 10 , in which the octane analyzer is capable of encrypting the octane measurement. 
     
     
       19. A method comprising:
 measuring, via a first octane analyzer that is integrated into a fuel pump, a first octane measurement of a fuel sample while a stream of fuel is being dispensed from the fuel pump into a vehicle,
 wherein the fuel pump comprises a nozzle and a collar that is disposed over the nozzle, 
 wherein the collar comprising at least one infrared (IR) emitter and at least one IR receiver disposed circumferentially about the collar, in which the at least one IR emitter transmits the first octane measurement to the at least one IR receiver; 
 
 rounding, via the first octane analyzer, the first octane measurement to a nearest recognized octane rating; 
 comparing, via the first octane analyzer, the rounded first octane measurement with a listed octane rating for the fuel sample; and 
 determining, via the first octane analyzer, an error that the rounded first octane measurement fails to match the listed octane rating for the fuel sample; 
 communicating, via the first octane analyzer to a user, an indication of the error in the listed octane rating for the fuel sample; 
 in response to the determination of the error, measuring, via a second octane analyzer that is integrated into a vehicle, a second octane measurement of a fuel sample while a stream of fuel is being dispensed from a fuel pump into the vehicle,
 wherein the vehicle comprises a fuel line that is connected to a tank and a collar that is disposed over the fuel line, 
 wherein the collar comprising at least one infrared (IR) emitter and at least one IR receiver disposed circumferentially about the collar, in which the at least one IR emitter transmits the second octane measurement to the at least one IR receiver; 
 
 rounding, via the second octane analyzer, the second octane measurement to a nearest recognized octane rating; 
 comparing, via the second octane analyzer, the rounded second octane measurement with a listed octane rating for the fuel sample; and 
 determining, via the second octane analyzer, an error that the rounded second octane measurement fails to match the listed octane rating for the fuel sample; and 
 in response to the determination of the error, computing, via the second octane analyzer, a compensation for the user, based in part on the error; and 
 reducing a price of fuel with the compensation. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , in which the act of computing the compensation comprises:
 determining a difference between a first cost of the fuel with the listed octane rating and a second cost of the fuel with the rounded first octane measurement.